High School Boys

Nike/US Lacrosse 2014 HS Preview: West Region Boys

Joe Lang and St. Ignatius Prep
(Calif.) headline the West Region as the season gets
underway. (Dirk Dewachter)

Lacrosse Magazine's Nike/US Lacrosse High School
Preview features the preseason national Top 25 for both boys' and
girls' (released Tuesday) and preseason regional Top 10s and Player
of the Year Watch Lists for boys (Wednesday) and girls (Thursday)
across the country.

West Region Boys' Preseason Top 10

1. St. Ignatius Prep (Calif.) The Wildcats are the premier program on the West Coast
and can compete with the nation's top high school teams. St.
Ignatius' only loss last season was to Chaminade (N.Y.). Joe Lang
(Harvard) and Cyrus Scott (Colgate) return.

2. Torrey Pines (Calif.)
The reigning San Diego Section Open Division champ lost 19 seniors
but has the depth to repeat, starting with Bryce Cady (Bryant).

3. Arapahoe (Colo.)
The Warriors won their third state title in five years despite a
deep Colorado contingent and could three-peat this season with the
return of Zach Runberg (Delaware).

4. La Costa Canyon (Calif.)
The Mavericks' bid for a sixth Division I championship fell short
against Torrey Pines in the final. Those teams likely will butt
heads again for San Diego supremacy.

5. Bellevue (Wash.)
The Wolverines did not lose to an in-state team last season. Ohio
State-bound Hank Bethke will have Bellevue in the hunt for another
state title.

6. Cherry Creek (Colo.)
The Bruins feature good enough core of players, including Matt
Goettelman (Army), to make a deep run into the state playoffs and
perhaps upend Arapahoe.

7. St. Margaret's Episcopal (Calif.)
The Tartans have momentum after winning the Orange County
championship over Corona del Mar. (Calif.) and the US Lacrosse CIF
Southern-Section championship over Harvard-Westlake (Calif.).

8. Cathedral Catholic (Calif.) The Dons had a 16-game winning streak before falling to
La Costa Canton in the San Diego semifinals. Cole Wolfson
(Bellarmine) could lead another postseason crusade.

9. Corona del Mar (Calif.) The Sea Kings fell in the Orange County final but remain
one of the top programs on the West Coast.

10. Bishop's School (Calif.) The Knights are a sleeper pick in San Diego as Jake Seau
(Duke), widely regarded as the best player in the region, enters
his senior season.